November Non-fiction New Releases

Hundreds, if not thousands, of books are released every month and I love sifting through all the new releases almost as much as I love reading. With such a plethora of possibilities, lots of lesser known books slip through the cracks, especially in the Instagram/Bookstagram echo chamber. I've compiled a list of 16 nonfiction November releases that have caught my eye, but I haven't heard much buzz about yet. I've noted which titles are available for request on Edelweiss and/or Netgalley at the end of their publisher's provided summaries. Which of these releases are you most interested in? I'd love to know.

The Alchemy of Meth: A Decomposition by Jason Pine

The Alchemy of Meth is a nonfiction storybook about St. Jude County, Missouri, a place in decomposition, where the toxic inheritance of deindustrialization meets the violent hope of this drug-making cottage industry.

The Cartiers: The Untold Story of the Family Behind the Jewelry Empire by Francesca Cartier Brickell

The captivating story of the family behind Cartier, and the three brothers who turned their grandfather’s humble Parisian jewelry store into a global luxury icon—as told by a great-granddaughter with exclusive access to long-lost family archives. (Available for request on Edelweiss and Netgalley)

The Season: A Social History of the Debutante by Kristen Richardson

In this enthralling history of the debutante ritual, Kristen Richardson sheds new light on contemporary ideas about women and marriage. (Available for request on Edelweiss)

The Ship of Dreams: The Sinking of the Titanic and the End of the Edwardian Era by Gareth Russell

In this original and meticulously researched narrative history, the author of the “stunning” (The Sunday Times) Young and Damned and Fair uses the sinking of the Titanic as a prism through which to examine the end of the Edwardian era and the seismic shift modernity brought to the Anglo-American world. (Available for request on Edelweiss and Netgalley)

The Art of Paper: From the Holy Land to the Americas by Caroline Fowler

The untold story of how paper revolutionized art making during the Renaissance, exploring how it shaped broader concepts of authorship, memory, and the transmission of ideas over the course of three centuries.

The Real Vampires: Death, Terror, and the Supernatural by Richard Sugg

Respected scholar Richard Sugg reveals the true history of vampires, exploring their cultural origins in a globetrotting tale of superstition, horror and strangeness. Sugg makes seemingly bizarre beliefs, practices and incidents comprehensible by showing in detail how vampires arose from a world of everyday "magic". 

The Whole Machinery: The Rural Modern in Cultures of the U.S. South, 1890-1946 by Benjamin S. Child

[Child] exposes the shadow side of the cosmopolitan modern by investigating the rural sources—the laboring bodies and raw materials—that made such urban spaces possible, thus taking a broader survey of landscapes created by the Atlantic world’s histories of uneven development.

The Creative Underclass: Youth, Race, and the Gentrifying City by Tyler Denmead

Tyler Denmead critically examines his role as the founder of New Urban Arts—a nonprofit arts program for young people of color in Providence, Rhode Island—and how despite its success, it unintentionally contributed to Providence's urban renewal efforts, gentrification, and the displacement of people of color. 

The World's Most Prestigious Prize: The Inside Story of the Nobel Peace Prize by Geir Lundestad

Despite all that has been written about the Nobel Peace Prize, this is the first-ever account written by a prominent insider in the Nobel system. (Available for request on Edelweiss)

The Feminist Handbook: Practical Tools to Resist Sexism and Dismantle the Patriarchy by Joanne L. Bagshaw

With this revolutionary feminist self-help guide, readers will find powerful tools they can use every day to combat the effects discrimination and gender inequality, improve self-confidence, build resilience, and actively resist the gendered messages they’ve internalized from living in an openly sexist, patriarchal society. (Available for request on Netgalley)

The Ethical Algorithm: The Science of Socially Aware Algorithm Design by Michael Kearns, Aaron Roth

Weaving together innovative research with stories of citizens, scientists, and activists on the front lines, The Ethical Algorithm offers a compelling vision for a future, one in which we can better protect humans from the unintended impacts of algorithms while continuing to inspire wondrous advances in technology. (Available for request on Edelweiss)

The New American Farmer: Immigration, Race, and the Struggle for Sustainability by Laura–anne Minkoff–zern

An examination of Latino/a immigrant farmers as they transition from farmworkers to farm owners that offers a new perspective on racial inequity and sustainable farming.

Beyond the Known: How Exploration Created the Modern World and Will Take Us to the Stars by Andrew Rader

From brilliant young polymath Andrew Rader—an MIT-credentialed scientist, popular podcast host, and SpaceX mission manager—an illuminating chronicle of exploration that spotlights humans’ insatiable desire to continually push into new and uncharted territory, from civilization’s earliest days to current planning for interstellar travel. (Available for request on Edelweiss and Netgalley)

The Human Edge: How curiosity and creativity are your superpowers in the digital economy by Greg Orme

Innovation guru Greg Orme provides a helpful, funny and supportive shove in the right

direction. He explores the skills you need to survive and thrive in a world of artificial

intelligence. He urges you to stop competing, and instead do things machines can’t.

The Mutual Admiration Society: How Dorothy L. Sayers and her Oxford Circle Remade the World for Women by Mo Moulton

Dubbing themselves the Mutual Admiration Society, Sayers and her classmates remained lifelong friends and collaborators as they fought for a truly democratic culture that acknowledged their equal humanity. (Available for request on Edelweiss and Netgalley)

Ending the War on Artisan Cheese: The Inside Story of Government Overreach and the Struggle to Save Traditional Raw Milk Cheesemakers by Catherine Donnelly

A prominent food scientist defends the use of raw milk in traditional artisan cheesemaking.

Dracul and The Best Damn Crumb Cake Ever

Fall weather finally arrived here in Georgia--after a heat wave that would just not end! The cooler weather is perfect for baking and reading, two of my favorite things.

Dracul
I had "Dracul" sitting on my shelves since last year but kept saving it until it really felt like October. As a sort of prequel to the classic "Dracula" I wondered how the author (a descendant of Bram Stoker) would present the story and how it would be written. I didn't love the original "Dracula" and much preferred Elizabeth Kostova's "The Historian". I would say that "Dracul" is the perfect middle ground. I was really pulled into the story and would definitely recommend it, but I loved "The Historian" more.

The Best Damn Crumb Cake Ever
I have been buying a box crumb cake mix forever but I wanted to make one myself. I had also recently inherited a bundt pan and wanted to test it out. This cake knocked my socks off and was gone within a day (I didn't eat it ALL myself, I swear). The topping is super crumbly and crunchy, but the cake is so soft, an addicting combination.

Ingredients

Filling:
1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)
1/2 cups pecans (chopped)
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon (ground)

Topping:
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon cinnamon (ground)
6 tablespoons butter (melted)

Cake:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter (softened)
1 1/4 cup white sugar
3 eggs slightly beaten
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups sour cream

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and really grease your pan (I used a bundt but you could use a 9" x 13")
2. Filling: Combine ingredients in small bowl. Set aside.
3. Topping: Whisk together the sugar, salt, flour, and cinnamon in a separate bowl. Add melted butter and combine. Set aside.
4. Cake: Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl cream together butter and sugar on high until fluffy. Mix in eggs, vanilla, and sour cream on low speed until combined. Gradually add flour mixture until combined being careful to not over mix.
5. Layer the 3 sections in the pan: 1/3 cake batter, 1/2 filling mixture, 1/3 cake batter, 1/2 filling mixture, 1/3 cake batter, and topping mixture. 
6. Bake for 60 minutes. Cool in pan for 10-15 minutes before removing.

Cooking with Herbs for Health

My latest article in October issue of Bend Lifestyle magazine "Cooking with Herbs for Health" featuring Devon Young's "The Herbalist's Healing Kitchen: Use the Power of Food to Cook Your Way to Better Health and her recipe for Savory Pumpkin-Sage Panna Cotta.⁠ 

Initiated: Memoir of a Witch by Amanda Yates Garcia

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this release from 

the publisher in exchange for an honest review

With Halloween on the horizon, witches are prevalent in decorations (like my framed Hocus Pocus song), memes, and spooky stories, but "Initiated: Memoir of a Witch" by Amanda Yates Garcia (releasing 10/22/19) is a story of "true" witchcraft--one woman's story of her lifelong practice of Wicca.⁠
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Summary:⁠
An initiation signals a beginning: a door opens and you step through. Traditional Wiccan initiates are usually brought into the craft through a ceremony with a High Priestess. But even though Amanda Yates Garcia's mother, a practicing witch herself, initiated her into the earth-centered practice of witchcraft when she was 13 years old, Amanda's real life as a witch only began when she underwent a series of spontaneous initiations of her own.⁠
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Descending into the underworlds of poverty, sex work, and misogyny, Initiated describes Amanda's journey to return to her body, harness her power, and create the magical world she longed for through witchcraft. Hailed by crows, seduced by magicians, and haunted by ancestors broken beneath the wheels of patriarchy, Amanda's quest for self-discovery and empowerment is a deep exploration of a modern witch's trials - healing ancient wounds, chafing against cultural expectations, creating intimacy - all while on a mission to re-enchant the world. Peppered with mythology, tales of the goddesses and magical women throughout history, Initiated stands squarely at the intersection of witchcraft and feminism. With generosity and heart, this book speaks to the question: is it possible to live a life of beauty and integrity in a world that feels like it's dying?⁠
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I'd recommend this book to anyone interested in learning more about modern Wiccan religion from a first person point of view.⁠

Twenty-One Truths About Love by Matthew Dicks

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this release from 

the publisher in exchange for an honest review

A book full of lists and a man who owns a bookstore? Sign me up! I love lists and bookstores. The protagonist's interior and exterior lives are presented to us almost totally in lists and while some are obsessive, relatable, and humorous, the trajectory of the novel had me rolling my eyes and begging "please don't let the story go in the direction I think it is". I would say this would be a cute paperback book to gift a new or almost new dad, but it's not making my list of faves.⁠

Dear Girls by Ali Wong

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this release from 

the publisher in exchange for an honest review

I loved Ali Wong's two Netflix stand-up specials, I love her on American Housewife, and I liked Always Be My Maybe, so I had high hopes for Dear Girls. Unfortunately, it fell short of my expectations. I would say it is mediocre (at best). I can't help but wonder if it was the format; maybe the audio version is hilarious 🤷🏼‍♀️I think so much of her humor is in her delivery.⁠

The Less People Know About Us: A Mystery of Betrayal, Family Secrets, and Stolen Identity by Axton Betz-Hamilton

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this release from 

the publisher in exchange for an honest review

The summary of "The Less People Know About Us: A Mystery of Betrayal, Family Secrets, and Stolen Identity" caught my eye because identity theft is horrifying and fascinating to me. I want to know how these things happen? Who are the perpetrators? How do people rebuild their lives after they've had their identities stolen? I was really surprised that while I thought this book would be focused on the intricacies of financial accounts, creditors, etc., the author's personal story had me crying several times. By bravely sharing her story, Axton Betz-Hamilton shows that the so called "white collar crime" of identity theft is an often overlooked form of abuse that can utterly devastate a family.

Summary:
Axton Betz-Hamilton grew up in small-town Indiana in the early '90s. When she was 11 years old, her parents both had their identities stolen. Their credit ratings were ruined, and they were constantly fighting over money. This was before the age of the Internet, when identity theft became more commonplace, so authorities and banks were clueless and reluctant to help Axton's parents.

Axton's family changed all of their personal information and moved to different addresses, but the identity thief followed them wherever they went. Convinced that the thief had to be someone they knew, Axton and her parents completely cut off the outside world, isolating themselves from friends and family.

As a result, Axton spent her formative years crippled by anxiety, quarantined behind the closed curtains in her childhood home. She began starving herself at a young age in an effort to blend in--her appearance could be nothing short of perfect or she would be scolded by her mother, who had become paranoid and consumed by how others perceived the family.

Years later, her parents' marriage still shaken from the theft, Axton discovered that she, too, had fallen prey to the identity thief, but by the time she realized, she was already thousands of dollars in debt and her credit was ruined.

Metropolitan Stories by Christine Coulson

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this release from 

the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Do you dream of being locked in a bookstore or museum overnight? Did you love the movie Night at the Museum? If so, you'll love Christine Coulson's inventive and funny collection, Metropolitan Stories (releasing 10/8/19). Not only does she take readers behind the scenes and down the mazes of hallways, and through the storerooms of the Metropolitan Museum (she worked at the museum for twenty-five years) but she lets her imagination run wild with her stories about the paintings, furniture, workers, and art. A chair that longs to be sat in, a collection of muses comes to life, and love letters from the art to the museum staff are just a few of the subjects included. This was a fun, quick read and I always think short story collections are the answer to anyone who is in a reading funk, so grab this one up and have it on hand the next time you find yourself in one.⁠
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Summary:⁠
Hidden behind the Picassos and Vermeers, the Temple of Dendur and the American Wing, exists another world: the hallways and offices, conservation studios, storerooms, and cafeteria that are home to the museum's devoted and peculiar staff of 2,200 people--along with a few ghosts.⁠
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A surreal love letter to this private side of the Met, Metropolitan Stories unfolds in a series of amusing and poignant vignettes in which we discover larger-than-life characters, the downside of survival, and the powerful voices of the art itself. The result is a novel bursting with magic, humor, and energetic detail, but also a beautiful book about introspection, an ode to lives lived for art, ultimately building a powerful collage of human experience and the world of the imagination.⁠

The Girl Who Reads on the Métro by Christine Féret-Fleury

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this release from 

the publisher in exchange for an honest review

This sweet little novel is the perfect example of "good things come in small packages." The Girl Who Reads on the Métro by Christine Féret-Fleury (releasing 10/8/19) warmed my heart and gave me a great mini mental vacation. This novel is a perfect choice for perfect for book lovers, Francophiles, and readers who want a slim book to slip in their bag.

Sidenote: this book has already gotten some awesome #bookstagram photos. My favorites are @_booksintheair_@diana_bibliophile @books_with_taylor@mrsboomreads @book.hang.o.ver@herbook.shelf @owlslittlelibrary@bookishanki @mlleboaz.bibliophile

Summary:
In the vein of Amelie and The Little Paris Bookshop, a modern fairytale about a French woman whose life is turned upside down when she meets a reclusive bookseller and his young daughter.

Juliette leads a perfectly ordinary life in Paris, working a slow office job, dating a string of not-quite-right men, and fighting off melancholy. The only bright spots in her day are her metro rides across the city and the stories she dreams up about the strangers reading books across from her: the old lady, the math student, the amateur ornithologist, the woman in love, the girl who always tears up at page 247.

One morning, avoiding the office for as long as she can, Juliette finds herself on a new block, in front of a rusty gate wedged open with a book. Unable to resist, Juliette walks through, into the bizarre and enchanting lives of Soliman and his young daughter, Zaide. Before she realizes entirely what is happening, Juliette agrees to become a passeur, Soliman's name for the booksellers he hires to take stacks of used books out of his store and into the world, using their imagination and intuition to match books with readers. Suddenly, Juliette's daydreaming becomes her reality, and when Soliman asks her to move in to their store to take care of Zaide while he goes away, she has to decide if she is ready to throw herself headfirst into this new life.